1. Technical Field
The subject matter disclosed and described herein relates to a surgical suture fabricated from gut and coated with gelatin, and a method for making same.
2. Background of the Art
Sutures are often used in surgical procedures for holding cut tissue surfaces in apposition for a period of time sufficient for healing. Non-absorbable sutures, e.g. sutures made from non-bioabsorbable materials such as polyolefins, nylon, cotton, and the like, are generally removed after a period of time. Absorbable sutures, e.g. those fabricated from bioabsorbable materials such as polymers of lactide and glycolide, collagen, and the like, are gradually degraded and absorbed by the body, and do not require subsequent removal.
Gut sutures are made from the submucosa layer of the intestines of animals (e.g., sheep, beef, etc.) which consist mainly of collagen. In preparing gut sutures and ligatures, animal intestinal tubes are split longitudinally, cleaned and spun or twisted to form strands. Such strands are termed plain catgut and when implanted in animal tissues are normally absorbed within a period of several days by enzymolysis. For many surgical procedures it is necessary for the sutures to retain their strength for a longer period of time to permit a wound or incision to heal properly. Therefore, such sutures are tanned by immersion in a solution of tanning agent such as a chromium salt. Tanning increases the resistance of collagenous material to hydrolytic attack. Such sutures are termed "chromic catgut".
Surgeons need sutures which are pliable and instantly usable. Unless catgut sutures are stored in a tubing solution, from which they are removed by the surgeon just prior to use, they will dry out and become too hard for use. Such storage solutions are well known in the art and typically include water and alcohol, for example, ethanol and/or isopropanol, and optionally triethanolamine.